Tuesday, September 11, 2012

It's not a real DXPedition, because it's my village house, where I go every weekend. It's the perfect place for shortwave listening - QRM-free place in a mountanious region with a lot of place for antennas. Recently, I installed three 100 metres single-wire, single-direction beverages. See "Equipment" for more information. I did this DXPedition with my friend and fellow DX-er - Ivo Ivanov, the author of DX MIX news and frequency manager of the now 'web-only' Radio Bulgaria.

All the bands were very busy with the contest. I logged a lot of HAM radio operators from all over the world. I logged several South Americans (from Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador) and USA folks on 14MHz after 2200UTC (0100 local LZT), one Australian on 7MHz and the usual contestmen from Europe and Asia - mainly Russia, Italy, Germany, Ukraine, Italy. The logs are, however, too long to list them all.

Utility:

I didn't log any utility station during the weekend, but I frequently use them to check the propagation. On the different beverages, stations like Gander Volmet (Canada, 10051kHz, 5
kW, USB ), Khartoum Air Traffic Control (Sudan, 11300kHz, 1kW, USB), The Buzzer (Russia, 4625kHz, AM) and The Pip (3758kHz, AM) were blasting with excellent signal. I also logged an unidentified Chinese utility station, check the video recording below:

Numbers stations:

The only numbers station I was able to log was S06s The Russian Lady on 6015kHz, check the video recording below:

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

There were a bits of good propagation on 10 meters during the last weekend. On Saturday morning, I heard a plenty of action from Europe - Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Germany and also from Asia - Dubai, Thailand.

Firedrake – China’s Secret Shortwave Jamming Project Exposed! by Steven Handler is the new revised and updated version of this electronic publication. Published in late August, 2012, it is now available through Amazon.com for the Kindle. Other booksellers should, by Mid September, 2012, be offering versions for other electronic readers including the Nook, iPad, Sony Reader and other formats.

A little “Firedrake” History-The Chinese government jams or interferes with the HF broadcasts of certain shortwave stations that they apparently deem “dangerous” for their citizens to hear. My publication serves as a guide to the world of Chinese jamming and helps the reader learn about Firedrake and some of China’s other shortwave jamming stations.

Included are jamming frequencies heard during the current A-11 shortwave broadcasting season as well as times of reception. Also included are frequencies heard in use during the past two shortwave broadcasting seasons (A-11 and B-11). Readers will also find information about the direction finding results identifying transmitter sites which I obtained from ITU registered monitoring sites. There is also a virtual tour of a Chinese jamming facility.

Available for $3.99 from Amazon.com (stock number ASIN: B0093NNABQ ) you can find more information and view sample pages at Amazon.com: Click here

Amazon.com also offers free Kindle Readers for both PCs and MAC. Information about the Free PC Kindle reader can be found on their web site: Click here

For information about Amazon.com’s Free Kindle reader for the Mac: Click here

The author does not sell copies of this publication directly. Rather copies are sold by retailers and bookstores.

I have been in touch with the staff down there. They have an Interim
Station Manager as Gary Walters went back home to the United Kingdom.

Radio Saint Helena will be shutting down, according to Ralph. He says "Our
Final Broadcast will be on the 25 December to coincide with our opening on
the 25 December ’67. This will make us 45 years of broadcasting."

The AM signal on 1548Khz with 1KW will be shut off for good. As I
understand it, at some point, a government funded radio station, operating
on FM will launch.

Ralph tells me that the Shortwave broadcasting mast has been dismantled by
Cable & Wireless, but he's talking to local ham operators to see if they
can lash up something for their final broadcast so they can get on
Shortwave. NO promises though.

That being said, if the Shortwave makes it on December 25th at all, it is
likely to last time it will ever make it on air.

My voice was featured on the last Radio Saint Helena shortwave broadcast
and even if they don't make it on SW this time, I will likely have my voice
used on the local MW broadcasts.

I just thought I'd pass the word. Feel free to pass this to other DX lists
and other folks who might be interested.